Customer Reviews

Urban Survival Guide: Learn The Secrets Of Urban Survival To Keep You Alive After Man-Made Disasters, Natural Disasters, and Breakdowns In Civil Order

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

There is useful advice in this book. Unfortunately, the information that is given is sparse and so general/introductory in nature, that I could take little away from it. The author presents a number of pertinent topics in summary only, with advice to visit his blog or search the internet for additional information. I don't purchase books to provide me with lists of links, or keywords for Google searches, or to sell me additional advice/guides/tools/books from the author.

Several areas of the book are annoying or off-putting. The author also fails to define several acronyms (TEOTWAWKI is used first on page 113, and several times thereafter, and not defined until page 159). It's written in a condescending and (from my male perspective) a sexist tone (I wouldn't buy this for a wife or a girlfriend). Finally, the writing is OVERTLY political and religious, and this devisive tone detracts from the message of survival and preparedness.

I've not spent a great deal of time researching and preparing for survival in disaster situations. Most of the information I've learned about the subject has been from the web, including the CDC, Are you ready, etc. There is little additional *useful* information presented in this book. And some of the topics are laughably bizarre or unrealistic - how to create disguises, how to "vet" a team of experts, or items like: "live in a state that prohibits gun confiscation".

However, little does not mean none, so I cannot say this purchase was a total waste. Topics such as `Why to avoid shelters', `Urban Movement' and `Secrets to cheaply harden your home' were useful. Still, the information is presented in a light manner that describes WHY these activities/preparations are useful, with scant detail on the HOW to accomplish or implement the recommendations. If you're looking for a polished and dense tome of PRACTICAL advise, look elsewhere. If you buy it, make sure to read it before the power goes out, because you'll need an internet connection to find out how to actually survive.

Worst case scenario: the paper will make for nice kindling when disaster strikes. But, remember for 75 cents you can always buy a full newspaper.

The Good:
-The author puts in a lot of good info pertaining to the subject, and uses examples of survival situations as recent as Hurricane Katrina. Even the most experienced person will still learn something here.
-Easy to read; no degree needed.
-At the end of each chapter the author recaps the important points and gives the reader suggestions for homework to help make the lesson more memorable.

The Bad:
-Spelling and grammar errors. I caught approximately ten spelling and/ or grammatical errors without even looking for them. Not overly distracting, just mildly annoying. I'd expect better given the price of this book.
-The author repeatedly references his website for more information, and constantly promotes his Urban Survival Program (not free). There are a few points where he leaves you hanging lest you check out his website. Again, annoying.
-Information, even within a chapter, tends to bounce around a bit, and could go a lot more into detail.

If you are new to the "Urban Survival" topic, then this book will be great, however, if you've read any other survival books, or watched Youtube survival videos then you may only take away a few new points.

In my opinion, this book wouldn't be worthy of 5 stars even if the problems were resolved. I think the content needs to be a little more in-depth given the nature of the topic. I would've given it 3.5 stars if I could have, instead of 4. Resolve all of the issues and it would be 4.5 solid stars.
That's my 2 cents.

This book is a must-have, regardless of where you live. I was already in "preparation mode" when I discovered Mr. Morris' Urban Survival online course. He delivers a tremendous amount of knowledge in a format that is easy to understand - and apply. Whereas some authors write about doom and gloom and the necessity to build mini-fortresses in the wilderness, Mr. Morris lays out succinct and practical plans for surviving in-place. It really helped me to organize and prioritize my preparations. I am much more confident now with the direction my preparations are heading, and with the breadth of knowledge I gained through his online course. Even if you believe you'll never face a disaster scenario, this book will teach you how to become more self-reliant. If you believe that some form of disaster, break-down, or collapse is in our future - all the more reason to order this book today! Learn, train, prepare - and enjoy life!

This book could have been way better, and David Morris has read the good books which i'll point you to in minute, which makes me wonder why this book sucks so hard.

I was really doubting this book when i ran across it, and after reading the negative reviews even more so, but i gave it a chance and got skunked for the most part. I have no doubt that he's LDS, which isnt a bad thing, i like most Mormons.... even more so if they are Conservative and into survival. I honestly believe someone tamed this book down, it could have been way better. Dave has military friends like most of us do, he spends his money on formal tactical training such as firearms and survival classes avaliable to the public. Why it ended up being a PG book when it should have been something liberals are trying to pull from the shelves and something Paladin Press wished they sold and printed off.

If you really have no clue on what life during collapse will be like, this book will be gold to you. If you already own alot of other books on the subject of survival like myself your gonna be quite upset. My thoughts, this book was made as a survival book to be placed in the hands of anyone in the church. Urban LDS Survival Manuel?

Morris admits to having read Ragnar Benson's books. Those books are awesome! He writes really good books and pulls no punches. Liberals hate the kinds of books he wrote. Every Ragnar Benson book is a great buy and money well spent.

Books to buy instead of this one:
Ragnar's Urban Survival: A Hard-Times Guide to Staying Alive in the City
Modern Weapons Caching: A Down-To-Earth Approach To Beating The Government Gun Grab
Survival Poaching
Eating Cheap
Mantrapping
All those books are awesome even if your just getting started or been into this thing for quite a while and just never had a clue about Ragnar. Like i said David admits to having read Ragnar, why some of that advice never made it in his book???? I dont know. Those books up there will help you out ALOT more then this book by Morris.



David clues in a bit that he may have read this book which is a great book to read and learn from. I highly recommend this book, it also goes well with Ragnar's books. This book is gut wrenching, it really is. If Davids book is watered down milk, this is a shot of Everclear. This book is blunt and the blood and guts to what life is gonna be like during collapse or a break down in life in this country. The title to my review of this book is "YOU NEED THIS BOOK".
The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse

David doesnt really go into any survival topics, as far as teaching you how to take care of yourself and family.
U.S. Air Force Survival Handbook
Get yourself that survival book, best one ive ran across so far.

David makes an attempt (baby steps) to talk about running, hiding, and blending in. These two books WILL show you how to do just that. Everything you need to know to pull of running away will be mentioned in these books. Very good books to read and hang on to. Pairs up nicely with that AirForce Survival Manuel and those two Mantrapping books by Ragnar. Very happy i ended up buying those Fugitive books, no BS about it friends!
Fugitive!: How To Run, Hide, And Survive
Advanced Fugitive: Running, Hiding, Surviving And Thriving Forever


What David fails to drive home, theres a good chance your gonna be all on your own. Your not going to be able to call for help from the cops, your screams for help from the people living across the street will go un-answered. Your survival will be all on yourself. Guns, ammo, and your ability to protect yourself didnt get enough time in this book. If your lacking in this department buy yourself a couple AK-47 and some Glocks and search out Gabe Suarez at One Source Tactical. Heres a good book to start with:

Kalashnikov Rifle Gunfighting

Hope that helps you out. I dont joke about collapse and being ready, i think about it all the time because i want to live. I own, and have reviewed everything i've pointed you to that is 100% better then this book. Like i said this book wouldnt have sucked so bad had i already not been past the advice in it. I dont hate David Morris, his emails i get daily arent that bad. I put off and skipped by this book many times because my gut told me it wasnt that great, my gut was right. My gut also tells me he does this to make money, everything ive pointed you to, the people made them and sell them because they feel strongly about the teaching and they want to share the great information they know with you, and they turned it into there job. Pick up those Ragnar books and you'll see what im talking about. Its more about the information being pasted on and living on into future. Most of what David has to say is just his two cents with little or nothing to back it up. Theres better books out there to be bought and read.

I'm limited to how many product links i can have in a review, every Ragnar Benson book ive bought has been great. Buy them all! Same for Gabe Suarez, his books and DVD's on fighting with a weapon are well worth it. Check out my reviews at Amazon for more of what they have to offer.

Get out there and practice what you'll soon be learning when you pick up some of those books i pointed you to. David did get that part right in the book. Reading about it isnt the same thing as getting out there and doing it.

I was looking at a survival cource on line by the author of this book. It was going to cost $77.00. I was very happy to see he had the same basic information in a book form at a price I could afford. I have wanted to have some emergency supplies on hand but did not know what my priorities should be and how to organize things. He does a very good job laying it all out, what you might need for various senarios. It has helped me to get started and quit procrastinating. I would recomend this book to all.

I'm an EMT and a pilot, professions which require great attention to detail and the ability to solve problems quickly under pressure. I took the online survival course and was amazed at what I didn't know. This is saying a lot, since I've daydreamed about doomsday scenarios my entire life. Sometimes just the simplest thing can make or break how well you come through an adverse event. These modules are chock full of those things on the periphery that make so much sense when you learn about them. Add to that the fact that the book is a great primer for beginners, a vast source of new knowledge for experienced 'preppers', along with a writing style that everyone can understand, and I'd say this is a must-have for EVERYONE.

What's discussed in the book is more likely to happen and has happened to more people around the globe and on a massive scale as far as natural disasters, war and civil unrest. Compare that ratio to how many back-packers get lost in the wilderness or someone's boat runs aground on a deserted island.
As seen as recently with Katrina, you can't count on the government to help you and your own neighbors will try to rob you so this is a good book to get your survival skills and mindset out of the "Man vs. Wild" world and into something more reality based and more likely to happen to you in your lifetime.

Mr. Morris lays out a solid and easy to follow program/course here. In my opinion it is just slightly overpriced at $25.

I have been on the perifery of survival preparedness for the last few years. I havea few of the survival and preparedness books and this is the only one that really tells what to do if you need to stay in place and survive. I and my family have no place to bug out to and will not go to the refugee camps that might be set up because I believe they will be like concentration camps and will be disease incubators and you will get less than adequate foods and probably very little clean
water. With David Morris' book you have a fighting chance to survive even in th e
urban setting if you prepare for it and study and learn the techniques he lays out.
He does not give every detail but gives you the places to find your answers on your
own. Every situation is different, every person is different, but if each person
prepares for what they might need and is knowledgeable about the basics and is taught the way to adapt to the unexpected you have the chance to survive. David
put this course on the net and I paid the $77 that he asked and feel I got my moneys
worth. You have the opportunity to get the same book for a fraction of the original cost and it is a book worth having along with a few other on Amazon.
I now am much better prepared and believe my family will have a much better chance of survival in our community. In short this is a must buy and a great deal.

This book covers all phases of prepping for any disaster situation that can arise. It is written is a simple straight forward manner and can be a great resource for those just starting out prepping or the seasoned prepper. As one who has "prepared" for years I highly recommend this book.